Fraternizing with the Enemy
by ErinHiddlestoner
Summary: Post- Reichenbach Fall; Both Sherlock and Moriarty faked their deaths. A few months later, everything has gone back to "normal." But everything changes when Sherlock's baby sister announces that she is getting married. And her fiancé bears a familiar face and name. Moriarty/OC, rated "T" for the time being.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Hi everyone. So, my friend Kim recently got me involved in the "Sherlock" fandom after months of trying. By the end of the first season, I was itching to write a fanfic for it. As much as I love Sherlock and John (total Johnlock shipper lol), I was particularly intrigued by Jim Moriarty. My bad boy complex flaring up again lol. But kind of like my "Rise of the Guardians" fanfic "the Other Half," I wanted to put someone Sherlock cared about in Moriarty's grasp. Then I thought, why not his sister? And thus, this fic was born. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and don't judge me too harshly: I probably won't write things half as amazing as Moffat and Gatiss. Read and Review! – Kay xoxo_

_Fraternizing With the Enemy: A Sherlock Fanfiction_

_By Kay Bennett_

_Chapter One_

"_Another day, another case," Dr. John Watson, M.D., thought to himself as he ran after Sherlock. _

_This case was particularly unpleasant. In the last four days, three bodies had been found without faces. Sherlock had already deduced that the victims had been hit with sulfuric acid, virtually melting the faces from the muscle beneath. Each victim had shown signs of having undergone plastic surgery, but the identification process was still unfinished, leaving the investigation at a bit of a standstill. _

_It was all Anderson's fault, or at least according to Sherlock it was. The man seemed determined to prove Sherlock wrong and, as such, was doing everything but the facial reconstructions that were necessary for the case to go any further. When the third body had been found, Lestrade had finally threatened Anderson into doing as Sherlock said or lose his job and be charged with obstructing justice. It seemed to put the fear of God into the man as nothing else had. _

_So here they were, still waiting on Anderson to finish the facial reconstructions and Sherlock had gotten impatient. So he had posted a message to the culprit on his webpage and took Watson out to hunt, or as the brilliant madman had said "gather more evidence."_

_Honestly, there was probably nothing more terrifying to John than a bored Sherlock. And that is what was going on right now. Sherlock had gotten bored waiting and had now gone off to create his own "entertainment." Leaving John to run after him and make sure he didn't cause too much damage to any of the "little people" the consulting detective happened to come across. _

_Sherlock seemed particularly excitable today; why, John had no idea. But whatever it was probably didn't bode well for some poor sod. For some reason, though, John didn't think Sherlock's anxiety had anything to do with their current case. While he did have a certain gaiety about him when on the case, he was still very serious about his work. Currently he almost resemble a child who had been told Christmas had come early. _

"_Come along, John," Sherlock called back. "Honestly you're _so_ much faster when we're chasing criminals."_

"_What exactly are we chasing, Sherlock?" John was almost tired of this little guessing game; he had been very rudely woken this morning by the madman he called his roommate and had still gotten no explanation. The doctor was more than a little annoyed at this point. _

_Ever since the brilliant consulting detective had come back after faking his death, Sherlock had been like the Energizer Bunny, running all over the place, barely taking a break or breaking a sweat. Quite honestly, John was rather worried for his flat mate, but other than his usual mania being rather heightened, Sherlock didn't seem too much different after his faked fall. _

"_We aren't chasing today, John," Sherlock replied. "We're meeting."_

"_Who?"_

"_You'll see."_

_They approached the Charing Cross Hotel, Sherlock seeming to move faster and faster with each step. _

_The duo entered the rather lavish lobby, Sherlock seeming to take in every elevator at once. John didn't think he had ever seen him so antsy before; the rather tall man kept muttering to himself "She's late, she's late."_

_After another couple of minutes, the muttering got a bit louder._

"_Ugh, she's late! She's _never_ late!"_

"_Who's late?" A feminine voice sounded behind the two flatmates. Sherlock's eyes seemed to brighten as he turned._

_A lovely brunette was standing behind them, looking smart in a little black dress. Her feet were encased in a pair of simple black pumps and a black coat was hanging on her shoulders. Her brown eyes glittered in amusement as she took in the infamous Sherlock Holmes._

"_Anna." Sherlock greeted, a rare smile crossing his face._

"_Hello, brother."_


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So Moriarty will appear( in a way) in this chapter, if anyone was upset that he wasn't in the first one. But these things have their own times, lol. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and I hope you enjoy. –Kay xoxo

Chapter Two

"Brother?" John questioned. "Don't tell me that you neglected to tell me about another sibling."

"John Watson, right?" Anna extended her hand. "Annaleth Rose Holmes, younger sister to Sherlock and Mycroft. Pleasure to finally meet you."

"Let me guess: you have a surveillance team following me as well, Anna?" Sherlock asked slyly, before going over to hug his baby sister.

Anna laughed. "Not at all, dear brother. I don't have Mycroft's resources after all."

"So how long have you been on holiday, Anna?" Sherlock asked, knowing she had waited to visit himself and, eventually, Mycroft.

"Oh the better part of two months," she replied, smiling. "I'd have gone back to work sooner, but it seemed a bit awkward to go back before the wedding."

"Oh, you're getting married," John said, smiling. "Well, then congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, John," Anna replied graciously. "I am quite excited for it."

"So who is this mystery man who snared my sister's heart?" Sherlock asked, seemingly innocently. He took in the rather expensive looking diamond ring on her finger; obviously her fiancé was well-off. "And when exactly where you going to introduce him to the family?"

She laughed again. "Well after the wedding, obviously. You and Mycroft would never approve; I'm not naïve, Sherlock. If the two of you had gotten your way, you both would have locked me away like a princess in a tower. No man I chose would ever measure up to your impossibly high standards. I shudder to think what you look for in a woman for yourselves."

"Hence why I will never get married," Sherlock quipped. "Besides, you glossed over who this fiancé is, Annaleth. Trying to avoid the subject, dearest sister?"

"Oh you'll find out who he is soon enough, brother," Anna smirked. "I never have anything to hold over your head that you don't already know about. Let me have my fun first."

The trio walked over to the hotel café, settling down for some coffee. Sherlock got his usual black with two sugars, John, a nice cup of tea and Anna ordering her usual Crème Brule latte.

"So Anna," John asked, cutting in before Sherlock could ask about her mysterious fiancé again. "you mentioned eventually going back to work. What do you do? Detective work like your brother, perhaps."

Anna laughed, a soft, tinkling sound that was rather lovely to John's ears. Sherlock didn't crack a grin, his eyes still taking in every nuance about his sister.

'_Her hair is down, pulled back only slightly in the back, indicating that she isn't going anywhere particularly special. However, she is wearing makeup and jewelry, so she must be meeting this fiancé at some point. She is dressed in 'work clothes' so she must be meeting him in a professional setting, possibly at his place of employment. He must work in the city, then, which narrows the radius of the search quite a bit. More information is needed, however, to make a solid hypothesis on the identity of this man.'_

_"Oh no, John. I work as… well I suppose you could call me an appraiser," she said after a moment's thought. "I work with just about every medium: art, jewelry, weaponry, you name it. Which reminds me. Sherlock, why didn't you call me about that Vermeer painting last year? You could have solved it much faster if you had; you know how quickly I can spot a fake."_

_"It didn't cross my mind, Anna." The consulting detective replied. She did have a point, but quite honestly Sherlock didn't relish the idea of calling his baby sister when he got stuck. It seemed like such a Mycroft thing to do and Sherlock was __not __Mycroft._

_"Oh yes it did, dear brother," Anna said, a knowing look in her eyes. "You just didn't want to run to your younger sibling to help you like our lovely elder brother. I know you Sherlock; you try to run from anything that puts you on Mycroft's level because you think yourself above him. Not that I'm one to talk."_

_"Yes, you despise him, don't you sister?Or has that changed in past months?"_

_Anna laughed again, shaking her head. John was struck again by how similar the two siblings were, not just in appearance but in mannerism. _

_Suddenly "Bittersweet Symphony" began playing. John looked around for the source before seeing Anna reach into her purse and pull out her cell phone. Sherlock snuck a peek at the caller i.d. All it said was "J."_

_'Must be the fiancé she is trying to keep secret. Seems the cat is out of the bag now, sister mine.' __Sherlock thought._

_Anna answered the phone with a wide smile. "Hello, James."_

_"Hello, darling." The voice of Jim Moriarty greeted from the phone's speaker. "Enjoying your holiday?"_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: So here is chapter three. I am going to apologize in advance for any OOC-ness throughout this fic. Particularly with Sherlock in this chapter; but he is finding out about his sister's relationship with Jim, so I figured he might lash out just a bit. Not to mention he is a difficult character to get into the mindset of. Also I will try my best to keep Anna from being a Mary- Sue; characters like that annoy me. Read and Review please! P.S: Sherlock, John and Mycroft all call Jim "Moriarty" while Anna calls him "Jim." Just in case it gets confusing. – Kay xoxo_

_Chapter Three_

_John and Sherlock didn't speak. They didn't move. They barely breathed._

_It wasn't possible. The voice on the other end of the phone couldn't be who they thought it was. Jim Moriarty was dead; Sherlock had seen him shoot himself in the head. Moriarty was clever but was he truly __that __clever? And if he was still alive, what was his new plan? What did Annaleth have to do with it?_

_Anna noticed the boys' sudden cessation of motion, but didn't comment on it as she responded to Jim's question._

_"Oh I'm having a wonderful time, Jim. Of course I'd have an even better time if you were on holiday as well. You never seem to take a break. Where are you now?"_

_"Look behind you."_

_Sherlock's eyes narrowed, locking on the man walking up behind Anna in a dark Westwood suit. Anna turned around in her seat, a smile lighting her face as Jim Moriarty sat next to her. Neither Sherlock nor John could quite believe their eyes as the consulting criminal took her hand._

_"You're early," Anna smiled._

_"Are you complaining, love?" Jim quirked an eyebrow._

_"Not at all."_

_Sherlock nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw Anna lean forward and kiss Jim firmly on the mouth. He actually did when Moriarty wrapped his hand about the back of her neck and deepened the kiss._

_Annaleth broke away from her lover at the sound of the table jolting, her eyes locking on her brother. She almost gulped before drawing back the infamous "Holmes-composure." She had never seen her favourite brother so livid before. Mycroft yes; Anna and Mycroft had quite the rocky relationship and she always knew just how to wind him up. But Sherlock had only gotten angry with her once before and never this much. He'd gotten frustrated with her before, yes, but that was completely different. Sherlock looked as though he was out for blood._

_"Sherlock?"_

_"What the devil is going on here?" he almost hissed at the couple._

_"Honestly, Sherlock, if you can't figure it out, you must be getting rusty," Jim responded, rolling his eyes. He wasn't thrilled that his faking of his death was now revealed to the sleuth, but Annaleth had wanted to see her brother and Jim had wanted to spend time with Anna. _

_"Sherlock, he's my fiancé." Anna said, shooting a look at Jim. As much as she loved his sass, now was not really the best time for it._

_"Well isn't this a shock?" The angry and rather betrayed detective replied. "The Consulting Criminal and the Holmes Sister set to wed. It paints an interestingly domestic picture of you Moriarty; I thought you despised all things ordinary." _

_"Perhaps," Moriarty answered coolly. "But I suppose I can handle a bit of domesticity in my life. It is surprisingly enjoyable, once you've found the right person. And indeed, I've found the right person, Sherlock. Your sister is quite the remarkable woman, in more ways than one," the dark haired man implied with his trademark smirk._

_Sherlock seemed about to take action against Moriarty when John finally intervened. He had no love lost toward the other consultant, but the last thing John needed was for Sherlock to cause even more of a scene than he already had._

_"Sherlock, please," the doctor soothed. "Not here." People were already looking at them oddly._

_The tall man sat back down stiffly, his eyes still staring accusingly at Annaleth. The woman in question took the stares head on, seemingly uncaring of the way her brother was looking at her. But under the table, her hand tightened around Jim's, which then squeezed her own slightly, rubbing a finger over her engagement ring. _

_"So how exactly did this all start?" Sherlock interrogated. "When did you two meet? After I revealed that I hadn't died or were you two having dinner while I was playing Moriarty's games?"_

_"We met before you even knew of Jim's existence Sherlock, and it's not like it happened right away. We didn't start seeing each other until almost a year ago. Honestly, you are blowing this out of proportion," Anna retorted rolling her eyes._

_"No, sister, I don't believe I am," Sherlock said lowly. "So how long did it take you to come up with this little game, __Jim__? Clever really, using my sister to start us off this time, but then you always were. The Richard Brook act was very convincing to the ordinary people."_

_"Oh, Richard Brook was real," Moriarty revealed slyly. "Perhaps his name wasn't, but the man very much was. It was almost too easy to lure him into our game. Even easier to manipulate him into giving his most notable performance to date. Tricking the great Sherlock Holmes into believing his greatest enemy had shot himself. You fell for it so easily, Sherlock; quite disappointing really." Moriarty's eyes narrowed slightly. "And I'm not using your sister for anything. She is quite safe from our playtime."_

_"Jim, stop needling him." Anna asked. This was not going well, not that she had imagined that it would have. She had known that Sherlock would probably not accept her relationship with Jim, but she had wanted to tell him and hope that they could at least have a civil conversation. At least John was behaving, but then again he wasn't saying much of anything at all. "Sher if it makes you feel better, I knew who he was right away. Trust me, it took a __long __time for us to get together. I wouldn't just jump into bed with someone you hated all willy nilly."_

_"So you knew each other before Sherlock knew him," John inquired, sensing the consulting detective was about to lose his head. "I thought you said you were an appraiser."_

_"Oh I am," Anna reassured smoothly. "I just don't always deal in, shall we say, entirely __legal__ appraisals at times."_

_"Much to my and Mycroft's perpetual chagrin," Sherlock responded, eyes still locked on Anna and Moriarty. It wouldn't surprise anyone to note that Sherlock did not trust Moriarty. And now that Anna was involved, he trusted the slightly shorter man even less. One thing was certain: Sherlock would not be taking this "marriage" farce at face value. Somehow he needed to figure out Moriarty's game with Anna and stop her from marrying the sociopathic criminal. And he would, one way or another. _

_But this was one of the rare occasions when the great Reichenbach hero would need help. And he knew just the person, as much as it pained him. Mycroft Holmes. _


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Back again. I'm kind of on a writing roll lately. :) But it works. So here is chapter four of "Fraternizing with the Enemy." Basically this chapter is like a two-for-one since part of it is Anna and Jim after the disastrous meeting in the café. And then the other part is Sherlock, John and Mycroft as they (meaning Sherlock and Mycroft) plot to "save" their baby sister. Read and Review, please! – Kay xoxo_

_Chapter Four_

_It was late when Anna finally joined Jim on the couch. She had her hair pulled up to avoid dripping water on his button down. She curled up against Jim, who was going over some sort of plan on his laptop. His arm moved up to allow her to rest against his chest before placing his head on her silk covered thigh._

_The Holmes sister closed her eyes as she nestled into his warmth, sighing as Jim's lips pressed against her damp hair. His long fingers tapped a discordant rhythm on her thigh, his dark eyes remaining locked on the computer screen. She "hmm-ed" as she wrapped an arm comfortably about him, his designer cologne filling her nose with its musky aroma. _

_"Just a few more minutes, darling," Jim's voice sounded overhead._

_"Mmmm, take your time," she replied smiling. "I'm quite comfortable."_

_"I can tell." And another kissed was bestowed upon her head._

_A short time later, Jim closed down the laptop and set it off to the side. He stretched out his legs and wrapped his other arm about Anna, bringing her closer to his body. Silence reigned in the room for a moment before Jim finally asked._

_"What is worrying you, love?" He had read the residual tension in her body as it rested against his own. As relaxed as his girl was, something was bothering her deep in that pretty little mind of hers, so much so that her body, which was normally as poised and controlled as her brothers', was reacting to it and gradually tensing up more and more. _

_Anna sighed. Of course Jim would figure it out; he was damn near as clever as her beloved brother. Speaking of whom…_

_"I'm just worried about how Sherlock is handling everything," she finally revealed. "He didn't exactly react well to it. I mean, we did metaphorically drop a bomb on him in the café, but… I don't know. I just don't want to end up losing my brother because I happened to fall in love with his nemesis."_

_Of course. It was her brother that was bothering her, Jim thought, a bit petulantly. It was astounding how much she admired the middle Holmes. Jim knew that Sherlock was a bit of a hero in Anna's eyes, mostly because he hadn't been like Mycroft and had actually let himself care for the only Holmes daughter. But still, it was somewhat irritating to the consulting criminal, who had always like having the attention solely upon himself. _

_"I'm sure it will turn out," he soothed. "Eventually they'll have to accept it, won't they?"_

_"Or they'll just cut me off." The words were a mere whisper._

_"They wouldn't do that Anna," Jim tried to assure her, but Annaleth wasn't having any of it._

_"Wouldn't they?" She sat up and faced Jim. "My icy eldest brother and the one convinced he has no heart __wouldn't__ cut off their wayward younger sister who has fallen from grace into the arms of the man they hate?"_

_"Are you regretting it?" His eyes turned away from her, unwilling to let her see his weakness in that moment. He didn't wish to see her face as she told that him that all of it was a mistake, that __they__ were a mistake._

_Pale and delicate hands gently turned his face back to hers. Softness had replaced the worry and tension on Annaleth's face as she moved one her hands back down to rest upon Jim's chest._

_"No, love. I don't regret us. I just wish we had done all of this before you and Sherlock started your games. Then they couldn't really do a whole lot about it. Although," she mused, "knowing my brothers, particularly Mycroft, they'd probably figure something out."_

_Jim laughed slightly with her in agreement before becoming serious once more. _

_"I don't regret anything I've done in the past, Anna," he said. "It isn't in my nature. I don't feel bad for any of the horrible things I do. But I am regretful of how the next few months will affect you."_

_"Just don't kill them," she replied leaning back into him. "Not even Mycroft. We may have our issues, but we're still family. I don't want to lose them, for real or otherwise."_

_"I'll try my best, darling," Jim promised, sealing the deal with a kiss._

_-Line Break-_

_That same moment found Sherlock pacing the floors of 221B Baker Street in frustration. The faceless murder case had been solved fairly easily after Anderson had managed to do his job. Thus, Sherlock was left alone with his thoughts; always dangerous._

_Currently those thoughts were centered around his baby sister and her involvement with Jim Moriarty. He was missing something important, he knew he was. Sure Annaleth had been in __some__ illegalities, but they had never been as terrible as Moriarty's various misdeeds. _

_Finally John could take it no longer._

_"Sherlock could you please sit down? You're driving me mad with all of that pacing."_

_Sherlock leaped over the back of his chair and sat down on it in his usual manner. John sighed as he once more viewed Sherlock's complete lack of regard for furniture._

_John went back to blogging about the faceless murder case, his focus returning now that Sherlock wasn't distracting him with the pacing. _

_Then the tapping started. _

_Sherlock's long, slender fingers were tapping against the arm of the chair with no particular rhythm to it. John tilted his head back slightly in resignation before saving the draft and closing his laptop. _

_The consulting detective looked up as his blogger leaned forward towards him._

_"Do you want to talk about it?"_

_"Talk about what?" Sherlock asked, poker face perfectly placed._

_"Your sister and Moriarty."_

_"Not particularly, no."_

_The answer was brusquely given in typical Sherlock fashion, but John had been around him long enough to know the subtle nuances of it. He may not want to talk about it, but it was obvious he needed to._

_"Are you going to warn Mycroft in advance or let him be as taken off guard as we are?" John asked with a little laugh, mischief in his eyes. Personally, he was inclined toward the latter; it was a rare occasion when one managed to shock the Iceman._

_Sherlock didn't laugh. Instead he took out his phone and pressed a few buttons on it._

_"I already texted him. Knowing Annaleth it could be days before she actually tells him about her association with Moriarty. Not strange considering Anna holds a rather intense dislike of Mycroft." Sherlock smiled for a moment before becoming serious once more. "But we don't have time for her to wait. We need to figure out how to get her away from Moriarty. It's only a matter of time before he puts whatever plan he has into action."_

_"You really care for her don't you, Sherlock." John said. "I don't think I've ever seen you so worried before. Even when Mrs. Hudson got hurt, you weren't terrible worried, at least not externally. You may have beat the living hell out of the man responsible, but you certainly weren't like this."_

_"She's my baby sister, John," the genius stated, as if it was obvious. "Harry may be older than you, but you'd still do anything for her. Any idiot could see that, especially considering how you've stuck by her through her drinking problems. Also, you may want to keep your phone on and charged; I expect she'll be back at the bottle soon."_

_John rolled his eyes derisively before getting up. He headed toward the kitchen and began the slight obstacle course of making tea._

_"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked, observing his flatmate's actions._

_"I don't need to be as smart as you to know that Mycroft is on his way," John replied with a smirk. "Might as well have tea ready for when he gets here."_

_Sherlock laughed before getting up._

_"Shall I get some biscuits? I do love messing up his diet."_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: This chapter took a bit because I wasn't really sure how to write Mycroft. But it still got done relatively quickly. No Jim or Anna in this chapter but they will be back in the next one. Also, Mama John makes an appearance or two lol. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and to my friend Kim (Couldbedangerous221) for her help with this chapter. Check out her story "A League of Their Own." It is kind of sad, but definitely worth it. :) –Kay xoxo_

_Chapter Five_

_Mycroft Holmes wasn't considered very personable by most people. They, of course, knew not to say something to his face; he could make a person vanish completely off the face of the Earth with just a couple of well placed phone calls._

_That being said, Mycroft Holmes was not a man to be trifled with. He could quite honestly be considered the true leader of the British government, ruling practically unseen, a shadow king in his own right. With just a smile and a twirl of his trademark umbrella, he could have the strongest of men trembling at his soft-spoken words. His tactics had worked on everyone, aside from five notable people, one of whom was dead._

_His brother Sherlock and John Watson were two of these people. They were seated in the living area of 221B Baker Street, ready to discuss the final two people able to withstand Mycroft's intimidation techniques. Sherlock sat across from the elder Holmes, a tea tray between them, his hands pressed together with the index fingers pressed against his lips. John was over on the couch, sitting just to the right of a grinning yellow face on the bullet-riddled wall. _

_All was silent as the trio looked at each other. Mycroft leaned forward to prepare his tea, resisting the almost- desperate urge to take a biscuit or four. Sherlock's little smirk as Mycroft sat back told him that the internal struggle had not gone unnoticed. He had a rather strong feeling that the tempting snacks on the tray were the younger Holmes' idea. He did so __love__ to poke fun at Mycroft's diet._

_"So what is so important that you of all people felt the need to call me, Sherlock?" he said, fingers unconsciously stroking the handle of his trademark umbrella currently resting at his side. "Usually I have to near harass you to get your attention."_

_"You do harass me," Sherlock replied. "Or just skip the harassment and go straight to the kidnapping."_

_"It isn't kidnapping if you come willingly Sherlock," Mycroft shot back. "Being a bit dramatic aren't we?"_

_Sherlock looked about to respond when John piped up from the couch._

_"Boys, now isn't the time. You can argue about the ethics of kidnapping later. Sherlock tell him about Annaleth."_

_"Annaleth?" Mycroft asked. "What has our dear younger sister done now? Mucking about in counterfeit jewels again? Or is it paintings this time?"_

_"Amusing as that would be, no," Sherlock replied, his face showing none of the aforementioned amusement. "This situation is much worse."_

_"How so?"_

_"She's getting married."_

_Silence reigned in the room before Mycroft laughed._

_"Only you think that marriage is worse than criminal activities Sherlock. Honestly we should be glad she is finally settling down; maybe she'll stop dealing in black market trade and counterfeit activities."_

_"That doesn't seem likely considering her groom is a certain Jim Moriarty."_

_Mycroft set the teacup down gingerly and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He placed it back down on the tray and set his hands upon the arm rests._

_His eyes shot over to Sherlock and locked onto them like targets for a missile. _

_"And why, pray tell, did you not begin the conversation with this information? Anna is running about with arguably the biggest threat in our lives and you waste time debating frivolities."_

_"Well you brought 'the frivolities" up, Mycroft. I merely responded appropriately," Sherlock said dispassionately._

_"For God's sake, Sherlock!" Mycroft groaned, rolling his eyes in frustration. "Will you please grow up? This isn't time to indulge in petty and childish games."  
"Perhaps I enjoy the games."_

_"Sherlock."_

_"Mycroft."_

_"Boys!"_

_The Holmes brothers turned to look at John, who had just smacked his hands down upon the coffee table in front of the sofa._

_John took in a deep breath in an effort to calm down and not slap the brothers upside the head._

_"Can we put aside the pride and overcompensating egos for just a moment and talk about the situation at hand. Like adults if you please," the ex-army doctor stated. There was a hardness in his tone, obviously left over from his time in Afghanistan._

_"Yes, John," Mycroft agreed, straightening his already impeccable tie. "Let's focus on Annaleth and Moriarty for the time being."_

_"Indeed. We have to stop the wedding."_

_"So we're working together on this," Mycroft smiled._

_"It appears so," Sherlock was impassive. "Truly I never thought this day would ever come."_

_"Well then, this should be fun."_

_"Indeed."_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Sorry about the double post for chapter five; I didn't realize I had selected the wrong one until the reviews started coming in. Oh well, it is bound to happen sometimes. So we're back with Anna and we get a closer look at her. And Mycroft will be back soon; I actually kind of enjoyed writing the Holmes brothers last chapter. It was quite interesting. :) As always, reviews are very much appreciated. – Kay xoxo_

_Chapter Six_

_The morning sunlight shone down onto Anna's eyelids, prompting them to flutter a bit as she awoke. She smiled slightly before sitting up. A quick glance at the other side of the bed told her that Jim had already left for the day, not that she was surprised. Jim liked to rise with the sun; more time to get business taken care of. He was generally gone by the time Annaleth woke up at 8:30._

_The brunette woman stretched before reaching over to the bedside table to pick up her engagement ring. She never slept with it on; the sensation of it kept her awake. Jim had given her the original velvet box to keep it in during the night. The diamond sparkled gaily in the light, making Anna smile. She was meticulous about cleaning the ring inside and out every night before curling into Jim's warm body. The state of an engagement ring says a lot about a person and their marriage. Anna wanted only the best message to be conveyed, particularly for her much dreaded afternoon visit with Mycroft._

_The eldest Holmes had sent her a text last night at about ten pm, asking her to meet him outside of St. Bart's at three. Jim had scoffed at the rather demanding tone of the message, but Anna had merely replaced the phone on the nightstand. A reply was unnecessary and, truth be told, generally unwanted. Mycroft and Annaleth tended to avoid conversing with each other as much as possible. If it became absolutely necessary, a simple text message detailing a meeting would suffice._

_She was unsurprised that Mycroft had known she was planning on dropping in on Sherlock at the hospital morgue. Mycroft, it seemed, had eyes almost everywhere in London. It was the part of why Anna avoided returning to London at all costs. She'd prefer her private life to remain such, thank you very much. Mycroft's insatiable need to be omnipotent was not her problem. She had already suffered through eighteen years' worth of it. She didn't need him meddling in her affairs now that she was a grown woman._

_Her Blackberry buzzed from where it rested next to the ring box, signaling a text. She smiled as she picked it up, already knowing the sender's identity._

_Good morning beautiful. I hope you slept well after I left. _

_Sebastian's bringing breakfast. Tell your brothers I say "Hi."_

_3 U. – J_

_She laughed a bit before sending back a message of her own. _

_Thank you for the breakfast, love. Have a good day_

_& I'll see you tonight. I love you. – A_

_She vacated the large bed and pulled on a silk robe just as a knock sounded at the front door of the flat. Sebastian Moran stood there, a paper bag from Rinkoff's in one hand, a vanilla-caramel latte in the other._

_"Morning Anna," the blond sniper greeted, handing the breakfast over. "You doin' ok?"_

_"I'm quite alright, Seb," she responded beckoning him in. "How have you been? Jim's not working you too hard, is he?"_

_Sebastian laughed._

_"No more than usual, Anna. Though he tends to be better when you are around. How much longer till the wedding?" he asked, plopping down on the couch._

_"About three months," Anna replied, placing her whole grain bagel on a white plate before sitting down. "Though with my brothers knowing about Jim and me, we may have to expedite it."_

_"I thought you had only told Sherlock and his boyfriend?"_

_Annaleth threw him a skeptical look before laughing lightly. _

_"Oh I'm certain Mycroft knows by now." She sipped from her latte. "Either his surveillance picked it up when I returned or Sherlock called him. Probably the former, though, it would be interesting if Sherlock actually opened the line of communication for once." She took another dainty sip before continuing. "No matter. My dear brothers are probably plotting to stop my marrying Jim as we speak so it will be interesting either way."_

_"Interesting?"_

_The Holmes sister smiled deviously._

_"Well it wouldn't be __nearly__ as much fun without my brothers' interference, now would it?"_


	7. Chapter 7

AN: So here's the next part of "Fraternizing With The Enemy." Sorry it has taken so long; Graduation and college prep got in the way of writing for a while and I had to get the next chapter of "the Other Half" up. But I tried to get this written and up quickly for you guys. :) Anderson abuse, Doctor Who references, and a hint at Molrene. All sorts of goodies in here. :) Let me know what you think! - Kay xoxo

Chapter Seven

By the time the afternoon rolled around, the morning sun had been blanketed by some rather gloomy clouds. Clearly it was about to rain, yet no drops fell to the ground currently.

A sleek black car pulled up outside of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Its single occupant exited the vehicle gracefully, black umbrella in hand. Their rather posh shoes clacked against the concrete as they ascended the stairs.

The visitor descended quickly to the morgue, choosing the stairs rather than the more direct elevator. That many idiotic people in one small little box, that was absolutely not bigger on the inside; it wasn't exactly the black clothed visitor's idea of enjoyable.

A woman tried to stop them as they entered the morgue; Sergeant Sally Donovan if her knees were anything to go off of. Clearly she was either scrubbing floors or engaging in some rather illicit extracurricular activities. Most likely the latter.

"Anna," Sherlock greeted, not looking up from his examination of his latest case's victim. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I merely wished to see you in a less... 'tense' situation, Sherlock," Annaleth replied, pulling her long brown hair out from where she had tucked it into the collar of her peacoat. She looked to her right. "Hello again, Doctor Watson."

"Just 'John', Annaleth," John replied. "It's good to see you."

"You know her?" Donovan asked.

"Who is this?" Lestrade said, walking into the examination room with Molly. The lab tech maneuvered her way over to her desk and placed some files into a manilla folder.

"Date tonight, Molly?" Sherlock asked.

"Um, yes," she replied nervously. "Third date, actually."

"Well, this man certainly suits you better than the last one," Sherlock commented. "You seem more... vibrant than usual."

"Woman actually."

Silence reigned in the room as the curly haired detective looked at the lab tech. Anna smirked at the surprise on his face; so he wasn't expecting that. Interesting.

"Look, Molly's love life is all good and well, but who the hell is this?" Lestrade finally said, breaking the awkward silence. He pointed at Anna.

"Annaleth Holmes," she introduced herself.

"My little sister, yes," Sherlock said before anyone could draw breath to ask.

"You have a sister?" The Detective Inspector asked.

"There's a female version?" a rather stupid-looking man with an unattractive bowl-like haircut questioned.

Annaleth turned and walked over to the man. She looked him up and down, her eyes zeroing in on some rather interesting details.

"Hmm... stupid questions, self- centered expression, unattractive haircut, irritated stature. Anderson?" Annaleth presumed, looking at her brother for confirmation. He nodded once, focused on his work. A proud smile crossed his face at Anna's rather insulting but spot on deductions.

"I'm sorry what?" Anderson asked, his face becoming offended and a bit irritated.

"It's a bit obvious," Anna stated calmly. "As obvious as your affair with Sergeant Donovan, though it can't exactly be quantified as an affair. Your hair is rather frazzled, indicating marital issues. Your ever mysterious wife found out, did she? Your ring is missing, so obviously the two of you have separated, though the ink stains on your hands imply that you've been filling out paperwork, probably divorce papers. Judging by the smell, she kicked you out and you've been staying at Donovan's as the same aroma surrounds her, but there is the scent of another place beneath yours so you can't still be at your flat. Your clothes still have dirt on them, so your wife threw them out the window. This must have been recently as you haven't had time to wash them. How am I doing so far?" She asked with a smirk.

Everyone seemed speechless for a moment. That sort of display had only ever come from Sherlock. No one noticed the consulting detective's proud smile widen or John's subtle attempts to hide his laughter.

"She's definitely related to you, Sherlock," Lestrade said, a bit of awe in his voice.

"Is it that obvious?" he said with a sigh.

Anna laughed before turning to the clock. Nearly three pm; damn, she was having such fun.

"Well I was going to try and talk to you about a certain 'someone,' but it appears I'll have to cut our little meeting short, Sherlock," Anna spoke. "Our dearest elder brother wishes to see me." She rolled her eyes derisively.

"Yes, I told him you'd most likely be here."

"Sherlock, you traitor! Selling me out like that," Anna teased before walking over to give her brother a hug. "And to Mycroft. You have changed."

"Only a little."

She laughed before walking out.

"Oh and Molly?"

The dirty blonde woman started before replying with a soft spoken "Yes?"

Anna smiled at her.

"Tell Irene I said hello."

Then she walked out of the morgue just as Sherlock's head jerked up.

"What did she just say?"

xxx

It had started sprinkling slightly during Anna's visit. She pulled out her umbrella and walked over to the black car, sliding in and closing the apparatus. She adjusted herself before looking to her right.

"Been a long time, hasn't it Mycroft?"

"Indeed, sister." The three piece suit wearing government official replied. "I believe we need to have a bit of a discussion of what occurred during that time. Your engagement in particular."

"Very well then," Anna agreed while discreetly sending a text.

'Jim. I might be late getting home. Mycroft's kidnapped me. Be home in time for dinner. Love you! - A'


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Writing like mad here, guys. I got my little nine year old cousin into Sherlock and so I've been rewatching the series with her. Definitely got inspired again. lol. Hope you guys continue to enjoy this story. Apologies if Mycroft seems out of character; for some reason I just can't get into his head all that well. Jim will be back in the next chapter and he isn't pleased with Mycroft and Sherlock stealing his fiancee away. Read and Review! - Kay xoxo

Chapter Eight

The rest of the car ride passed in virtual silence. Anna was sure that Mycroft knew she had texted Jim, but she quite honestly couldn't care less. Mycroft hadn't scared her since she had been a girl and his approval or disapproval really didn't matter to her either way. The only reason she agreed to this meeting was to get his overbearing presence off her back.

The two Holmes siblings pulled up to a rather familiar home, distinguished and elegant. Anna knew this place, knew it very intimately. Every infinitesimal crack in the wall, every nearly invisible scuff on the floor, every secret passage. It was good to be home.

"Is Mummy in?" she asked as she and Mycroft entered to Holmes ancestral home.

"No, actually I'm afraid you missed her," he replied. "She's in Belgravia currently. Visiting old friends."

"Shame. It would have been lovely to see her again."

"I'm sure. Five years since your last visit, isn't it? You didn't even say hello during Sherlock's funeral. You were there; a veil, really Anna. Is that the best you could come up with?"

"Well it was rather short notice, brother," Anna said as they entered a drawing room. "Besides I wanted you to know I was there, but I didn't wish to speak to you. But I'm sure you already knew that."

"Indeed."

The eldest and youngest Holmes siblings sat down at opposite sides of a mahogany coffee table. Annaleth crossed her legs at the knee, but otherwise didn't get comfortable.

The parlour was lavish, all mahogany wood and cashmere cushions. A matching lounge rested near the fireplace and a bookcase filled the wall surrounding the door the two Holmes siblings had just entered. Heavy curtains hung along the windows, making the room dark yet still fairly comfortable to be in.

Mycroft poured himself a brandy before offering a beverage to Annaleth. She declined gracefully, she wasn't much of a drinker anyway. Instead she waited for Mycroft to finish sipping from his glass and place it down on a nearby coaster.

The elder Holmes sat back, still with perfect posture, before fixing an intimidatingly pleasant expression on his face.

"So Annaleth," he spoke with seemingly warm familiarity. "It appears much has changed during the course of these past few years. Last I heard you were dabbling in jewelry counterfeits and other such unsavory past times?"

"Oh that's long over, dearest Mycroft," Anna smiled. "My last job was dealing with a rare painting. Boy was that ever so much fun! Assassins on my tail and everything."

"Sounds like quite the... adventure."

"Oh it was." Anna sighed in pleasure. "But such adventures shall have to be put on hold until after the honeymoon. I promised my fiance nothing less than my full attention now that my most recent job is over."

"But you've been spending time with Sherlock these past couple days. Surely your fiance isn't quite happy with these visits?"

"Oh he's fine for now. He's got a few last minute things to tie up before we get down to the heavy wedding planning."

"Well that sounds reasonable." Mycroft took another sip of brandy before his eyes pierced through Annaleth. "I never thought I'd use the word 'reasonable' in conjunction with Jim Moriarty."

Anna's eyes narrowed infinitesimally as her chin lifted slightly. A small smirk crossed her face.

"Ah, I'd hoped it had been Sherlock to tell you. Both of my brothers working together to stop my marriage; oh it is _everything_ I dreamt of as a child."

"Enough with the games Annaleth. I want this dreadful business over with as soon as possible. Why are you marrying Jim Moriarty?"

Anna leaned back in her chair, smirk widening.

"Why would I tell you that, Mykie? After everything you just said about my marriage being such "dreadful business," I don't think I'm quite inclined to tell you anything at all."

Mycroft slammed his glass down on the table.

"For god's sake Anna! This man is a terrorist and probably the biggest threat to national security since Stalin! Now tell me why the hell you are marrying this man and what will take to get you to turn him over?"

Anna was quiet for a moment, her head hanging down. Then she slowly moved it up, her expression dark with anger and almost hatred toward her eldest brother.

"How dare you?" she whispered, her voice nearly a growl. "How dare you imply that I would betray the man I love in such a way? You may be an unfeeling machine of a man, but I have long prided myself on being seemingly the only child of Siger and Violet Sherrinford-Holmes that knew what a heart was truly for, besides pumping blood through veins and arteries to keep the human body alive. Perhaps you find it hard to believe, but I do love Jim Moriarty. And Napoleon of Crime or otherwise, he loves me.

"I won't let you ruin this for me," Anna's voice was dark, almost as threatening as Moriarty;s could be, Mycroft noted, with the smallest hint of worry. Clearly the consulting criminal had some influence over Mycroft's baby sister, if she was beginning to pick up some of his habits. This did not bode well for Britain.

"Are we interrupting?" A deep voice asked from the doorway of the parlour. Sherlock stood there, looking rather disdainfully at his childhood home as he removed his long black coat and purple scarf. John was, as ever, at his usual post, standing side by side with the consulting detective. Annaleth smiled at the sight; she was probably the only Holmes child who knew how to properly use their heart, but it was clear that the middle one was learning.

Mycroft stood up, brushing down his penguin suit. The icy composure Annaleth had cracked slightly was flawless once more as he faced his other sibling.

"Not at all Sherlock," he said briskly. "Annaleth and I were merely catching up. John, good to see you again."

"You as well, Mycroft." the ex-army doctor responded respectfully. "Same to you, Anna, though it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other."

"Just long enough to miss each other." Anna smiled slyly. She debated on winking, but decided against it. It wouldn't do to shake things up too terribly much, not so early on in the game.

Indeed John already looked a bit uncomfortable, whether from Anna's actions or the knowledge of who's girl she was, and Sherlock's hands clenched ever so slightly for a moment.

Indeed the game had begun. It's ending, however, would remain to be seen.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hey guys! My apologies again for the long wait. Things just weren't exactly working out on the writing front. But here is chapter nine and hopefully the next two chapters won't take nearly as long to write. Read and Review! ~Kay xoxo

Chapter Nine

The dining room of the Holmes Manor was quite large, a grand mahogany table taking up most of the free space, even whilst being in the center of the room. Still the distance within the chamber was vast, almost insurmountable. Or at least it seemed that way to John. The three Holmes children didn't appear to notice anything. If anything they seemed to enjoy the distance from each other. Mycroft at one end of the table, Sherlock and John at the other. Annaleth sat in the middle, which didn't surprise John, considering the scene he and Sherlock had walked in on.

It had surprised no one that Mycroft had already confronted Anna about her relationship with Moriarty. Sherlock and Mycroft had agreed to do so together, but well, "it was a matter of national security" after all. Still, it looked like the British Government should have waited for John and Sherlock. Perhaps it would have been handled with a bit more tact.

The meal was delicious, although a bit more posh than John was used to. There was a mouthwatering rosemary chicken front and center, mashed potatoes and gravy, and an almost overwhelming spread of fruits and vegetables. A bottle of aged Chateau d'Yquem was served with the repast and even John could tell that it was both a good year and _extremely _expensive. While John savoured the meal with a delight he hadn't before experienced, the three Holmes looked almost bored with the spread. Though John supposed when one used to dine on this sort of stuff every day, there wasn't much reason to get excited over it.

Annaleth took a sip from her glass before dabbing lightly at her face with a napkin. Then she replaced it to its position in her lap.

"So is there anything more you boys would like to discuss?" she asked, folding her hands beneath her chin. "Otherwise I believe I'll be taking my leave now. A certain someone will be expecting me home soon and I would hate to keep him waiting."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible." Mycroft stated calmly, mirroring Anna's actions.

"And why not?" Anna said sarcastically. Of course her brothers wouldn't make this easy on her.

"You didn't think we'd just let you go back to _him_, now did you?" Mycroft sighed.

"Oh no she knew," Sherlock replied. "She's just wondering how difficult we will make this all for her."

"Oh Sherly do you always have to spoil the game before it has even started," Anna pouted. "I wanted to see how long it would take Mycroft to completely lose his temper. Last time it only took about 2 minutes before you two interrupted."

"This isn't a _game,_ Annaleth!" Mycroft raised his voice.

"Of course it is!" she cut him off. "Everything is a game. Surely you know that, Mr. Minor-Position- in- the-British-Government. Now," her voice grew deadly serious. "if you all don't mind, I am returning to my flat and my fiancé."

"No, dear sister," Sherlock said quietly. "I'm afraid you are not."

Annaleth stood up, fully intending to walk out of the Holmes manor. Her attempt was severed as the world tilted horribly on its axis. Her ring-adorned hand flew to her forehead and she blinked, trying to fix it. Her eyes fell on Sherlock, knowing instantly what had happened before she collapsed, her world going black.

Ø

Annaleth groaned as she came back to consciousness, wriggling around as she remembered she actually had a body. The sheets beneath her were gentle on her skin, but cold, as if no one had slept on them in years. She opened her eyes slowly, fearing bright light may be too much after being drugged. But the only light came from the moon, which shone gently through the translucent curtains over the balcony doors.

Anna took a look at her surroundings. She had been placed under the pale blue duvet she had favored as a child. Her equally blue walls hadn't changed since she had left Holmes Manor eight years ago. All of her adolescent belongings were still in that room, like Sherlock's were in his and Mycroft's few were in his.

Anna rose from the four-poster bed, rolling her eyes as she slipped her heels back on.

"Sentiment."

She crept over to the window, staying on the carpet to muffle her footsteps; there was no telling where Mycroft and Sherlock would be or how well they would be listening for her movements. She opened the jewelry box next to the balcony window and took out the key to the doors from the false top of the box. Honestly, her brothers called themselves geniuses and they couldn't even secure her exits properly. She shook her head derisively.

"Fools."

Slipping the key into the lock, she gingerly opened the doors. She highly doubted Mycroft had the hinges greased, so she only opened them part way, wary of the creak that would give away her actions if she opened the doors any farther.

Anna slid her lithe body through the opening before shutting the doors just as delicately behind her. She crouched on the balcony behind the railing and reached down her bodice. She smiled. Still too afraid to reach down a woman's top to get anything, even if it would help their little plans along. Some things never changed. Jim, on the other hand, had no problems removing anything incriminating from her person, no matter where she hid it.

Pulling out her phone, she hit the second speed dial. Hopefully, the recipient of the call would look at his caller id before ignoring the call. If he valued his job and health anyway.

"Sebastian speaking." The assassin's voice was slurred and the background noise was grating on Anna's ears. Of course he was drunk. He was nearly always drunk.

"Seb you need to come get me." Annaleth stated firmly. "I'm at the Holmes Manor, 1637 Adrian Circle. And that _is_ a direct order."

"Yes ma'am." Sebastian replied solemnly. "I am on my way."

"Make it fast."

She hung up and settled down to wait. It should only take Sebastian about 10 minutes to get there, no matter where he was. He knew his way around London better than her dearest brothers.

It took 9 and a half minutes. Sebastian turned off the headlights as he pulled up beside the house. The lights were off on that side, the Holmes brothers and John currently residing in the library on the East wall. Anna's room was on the South. Still better to be cautious. Her makeshift trellis she had used to sneak out as a teenager was still on the left of the balcony, though not as sturdy as it had been all those years ago.

She placed a foot gingerly on the first rung, still holding on to the railing of the balcony. It groaned slightly under her weight. This would be an interesting challenge. Slowly, delicately she made her way down the trellis, praying the rungs held. It went well until the fifth rung from the bottom. She had just placed her right foot on it when it gave beneath her. Her feet slipped and she held on with her left hand tightly. Until that gave as well.

Anna fell to the ground with a thump, landing on her right side. Seb exited the car quickly, reaching the woman's side just as she was pushing herself up.

"Ouch." she hissed, cradling her right hand. "Well that's a sprain."

"Are you alright, Anna?" Sebastian said, helping her up off the ground.

Anna waved him off.

"I'm fine, Seb. I've had worse." She brushed some dirt off of her dress.

"The boss won't be pleased."

"He'll deal with it."

Anna got into the car and Seb closed the door behind her. Then he drove her home. Back to Jim.

Ø

Anna walked into the flat, Sebastian holding the door open for her. The man had had no issues driving, though he reeked of a brewery and was completely sloshed.

"By the way, Miss Anna," he said, leaning toward her. "Did you know that you are beautiful. Like _really_ beautiful."

Before she could reply a dark voice spoke up from the living room.

"She's also _really_ mine."

The Napoleon of Crime stepped out of the shadows. And he did not look pleased.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Hey guys. A bit of a quicker update here for once as I was rather excited for this chapter. This was actually one of the first scenes I had come up with when I began plotting out this story. Not exactly smut, but this has definitely one of the steamiest scenes I have ever written at the end, just a heads up lol. The Holmes boys and John return in the next chapter as they realize Anna has left the Manor and plan out their next move. Then we're gonna change things up a bit with some flashbacks to Jim and Anna before the start of this story. So hang on guys cause this story is about to get even more interesting lol. Quick shout out to my friend and inspiration helper Couldbedangerous221; without her wonderful fanfics and description of her future plans I might not have been half so determined to get these chapters done. Sorry for the long author note lol. Read and Review! ~Kay xoxo

Chapter Ten

Sebastian took his leave rather quickly, sensing Jim's displeasure with the situation. He didn't much relish the thought of that murderous temper being turned onto his person. Anna was a smart girl; she could handle Jim's rage and tame it to a much less harmful level. He'd seen her work her magic before.

Jim and Annaleth stood there as the door closed behind the sniper, the dark expression on Jim's face unwavering and terrifying. But where most men would cower before such an intimidating display, Anna merely stood there, smiling pleasantly at her lover. There was no fear to be read in her bearing, simply an overwhelming aura of unconditional love. It spread almost tangibly across the space between Anna and Jim, softening the man's rage ever so slightly, But his fury at the Holmes brothers' interference in his relationship with _his_ beautiful Anna would not be tempered so easily.

"How was dinner with your _dear_ brothers and the good doctor?" Jim asked, voice as dark as it had been when speaking to Sebastian. "I was concerned when night started to come around. You hadn't said that you would be this late."

Anna walked toward her fiancé, cool as a cucumber. She placed a hand on his arm, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Dinner was lovely, although I hadn't expected to be _detained _for so long. My brothers seem to be so full of surprises lately," she smiled. "Still it was nice to visit the family home and see my old bedroom. Of course I'd rather not have been drugged while it happened but I suppose it wouldn't have been half so much fun." She shrugged, seemingly unaware of Jim's growing rage. "And I did somewhat deserve it. I don't think Sherlock appreciated my _interactions_ with John Watson much. It's rather amusing: throw a flirtatious female in the way of their little dynamic and the true feelings come out—"

Anna hissed as her back came into brutal contact with the wall, gasping in a breath of air before a strong hand gripped her throat tightly. Her eyes flew open, locking onto the enraged ones before her belonging to a highly pissed off Moriarty. His arm was shaking as he held the woman to the wall, leaning toward her intimidatingly.

"Enjoyed yourself then?" He growled, baring his teeth. "Had a lovely dinner with the family and a nice little _flirt_ with Dr. Watson but didn't spare a thought for your worried fiancé at home? Didn't think to text me at all, did you _darling? _But you can call up Moran to drive you back? Tell me, _love,_ what did keep you _so _preoccupied at your family estate that you couldn't _possibly_ be home before midnight?"

Anna let herself relax, even in the death grip Moriarty had about her throat. He could easily snap her neck, might still with the mood he was in, but she wouldn't let herself panic. She could handle his moods, had done so in the past. This wasn't the first time she had found herself in this situation.

She reached up and wrapped her engagement ring adorned hand around the one about her neck, letting her thumb caress the back of it. She stared directly into his eyes as she spoke; if she let them wander in any way it would wreck the calming effect she was trying to have on him.

"I did enjoy myself, Jim," she spoke softly, ignoring the way his grip tightened infinitesimally. "It was nice to see my brothers working together for once, even if only to try and sway me away from you. But," she said, bringing Moriarty's other hand up to her lips and kissing it softly. "It'll take a lot more than one incredibly awkward family dinner to pull me away from you. It would take all of Mycroft and Sherlock's power and collective intelligence to keep me from you in any way, and even then I would fight tooth and nail to return to your side.

"I won't apologize for spending some quality time with my brothers; I _will_ let myself have fun with my family. I do apologize for being so late, however; I wasn't quite expecting Sherlock to drug me; it must have been some pretty powerful stuff to keep me unconscious for so long. As for the flirting, you know I'd never betray you; I was merely helping the game along in my own way. After all, Sherlock has to come to grips with his feelings for John if this is to be in any way successful."

Jim's hand fell away from her throat, sliding into her hair instead. He leaned toward her, resting his forehead on hers as he breathed in and out deeply, eyes still locked on hers. She moved her hands to his shoulders, massaging them gently, squeezing and rubbing in alternating circular paths.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the rage lining Jim's form faded, his shoulder loosening and the tension disappearing. He closed his eyes for a moment and merely inhaled the sweet scent of Anna, letting it fill his mind, chasing all violent urges to the back of his mind. He would worry about them later when Anna was not so close by; this was the most he would ever let himself indulge the monster inside of him with Anna. A hand around her throat was one thing; if he ever left a lasting mark on his beautiful bride, ever marred her silky flesh with violent intent, he would never forgive himself. However, there were other marks of passion that he would be more than happy to bestow upon his dearest Annaleth.

His eyes flashed open, locking on her deep chocolate ones as he smirked. Her pupils flared wide as she read the lustful look clouding Jim's face just before he surged forward and captured her lips harshly. The brunette woman moaned wantonly as he forced his tongue in, caressing every inch of her mouth, plundering it like a pirate would an enemy vessel. Hard, fast and without mercy. Just as their lovemaking would be that night. Not that Annaleth minded all that much as her nails dug into Jim's shoulders, scratching ruthlessly down his back; there would be red welts left there for days, Anna's own little claim on the man she loved.

Jim groaned deeply before releasing his grip on Anna and shoving her hands against the wall, never ceasing their brutal kiss. He pressed his body closer to her own, sandwiching her between him and the unforgiving wall behind her. She pushed off her feet and wrapped her legs around his slim waist. Her stiletto heels dug painfully into his back and his hips jerked, sending Anna arching against his chest, her heavy moan reverberating throughout the apartment as she ripped her lips from his. Jim simply attached them to her neck, sucking slightly as he carried her already writhing form to their bedroom, the door closing with a loud click behind them.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: So this chapter was pretty much a collaboration with CouldbeDangerous221. Seriously guys, this chapter may not have been completed without her. Also, her stories "The Third Holmes" and "A League of their Own" are amazing and, as a favor to her, I am promoting both stories. Anyway, more of Mycroft, Sherlock and John during Anna's escape and Holmesian plotting. Read and Review! -Kay xoxo

Chapter Eleven

Sherlock and Mycroft seemed to tolerate each others' presence for the first time in a long time. John sat witnessing their seeming alliance as they waited in the downstairs parlour.

"Brandy?" Mycroft pour a tumbler out from a glass decanter set on one of the ornate side tables. He offered it to John who declined with a slight movement of his head. "No? Sherlock?"

Sherlock glanced at the glass wearily and shook his head.

"Alright," Mycroft lowered himself into one of the large and overly comfortable armchairs that the room contained. He took a sip of amber liquid and cradled the glass absentmindedly in his hand. His pale grey eyes followed the figure of his brother as he paced restlessly the length of the room. "Sit down Sherlock, you're making this more difficult than it has to be."

Sherlock refused the comfort of a chair and kept pacing. "Why didn't you wait?" he demanded again. John remained outside of the conversation, he was merely here to make sure nobody was murdered in this exchange.

'Mycroft scowled in displeasure at Sherlock's brusque manner. "Immediate action needed to be taken, Sherlock," he responded. "I don't have to remind you who we are dealing with. It's soon to be a matter of National Security."

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Don't exaggerate, Mycroft, it doesn't become you. It's a family matter and should be treated as such." The word 'family' seemed to be a struggle for him to say. He hated the sound of it. It linked them all together.

"As eldest it was my duty." Mycroft said pointedly. "I had to get her to see the mistake she was making."

"And what makes you think _she_ would listen to _you_?" Sherlock's words were razors. "Your relationship with her is one to rival ours. You should have waited for me."

"Oh I'm sure you're relationship with our dear sister is at a wonderful stage... considering it was your idea to drug her." Mycroft combated his brother's last comment with skill.

"At least I had a plan." Sherlock gifted him with a dark look turning on his heel to pace the opposite direction.

"A rather misguided one I'm afraid, but nevertheless efficient. Annaleth will not be leaving the house tonight. We'll deal with her in the morning. I wanted to devote these hours on planning our course of future action." Mycroft expressed his wishes to the other men.

Sherlock stopped his pacing in mid stride and turned to face his brother. "The most progressive thing I've heard you say all evening," Even his compliments seemed to drip with sarcasm.

Mycroft raised an eyebrow at his younger brother, half-amused. "Shall we begin then?"

"Umm, boys?" John asked. "I think the woman in question has woken up."

Indeed the slight sound of footsteps was heard overhead, as though someone was pacing around slightly perhaps even looking for something. Mycroft and Sherlock merely glanced up at the sound before shrugging.

"You did lock the door right, Mycroft," Sherlock asked, nonchalantly, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, Sherlock." Mycroft took another sip of his brandy. "And there is no way for her to get out from the balcony. Those doors were locked ahead of time, considering that is how she got out last time when she left here for good.

"Now then," he said, voice business like. "Matter of family or national security, either way something must be done about Annaleth's involvement with Moriarty. Any thoughts you care to share with the class, Sherlock?"

Sherlock's eyes narrowed in contempt at the slightly mocking tone of Mycroft's. He clasped his hands behind his back, calmly. "It's agreed the marriage must not take place."

"Indeed." Mycroft leaned back into his chair.

"The key then is to drive a wedge between Annaleth and the man she believes loves her."Sherlock decided. "We need to make her realize Moriarty's incapable of love."

"Is he?" Mycroft asked.

"Of course he is." Sherlock dismissed the possibility that his nemesis could feel any emotion that could be considered love. Sentiment was a weakness, and Moriarty was certainly a man who would not want to give his opponents any upper hand over himself. "He's only using Annaleth to get to us. You know how obsessed he is."

"Undoubtedly," Mycroft agreed.

"They should be kept away from each other in the mean time," Sherlock went on. "Any time she spends with him only gives Moriarty the opportunity to draw her further into his web."

"She'll remain here," Mycroft decided, fingering his brandy glass. "Until she sees sense," he added. "Her presence here will certainly confuse Moriarty. Perhaps he will believe she has decided to find her place again in the family instead of by his side."

"Perhaps, if we're lucky," Sherlock approved of his brother's part of the plan.

John remained utterly confused. "You mean you two are just going to keep her locked up until the problem goes away?" he asked.

"Is that a problem?"Sherlock asked.

"You're holding your sister prisoner!" John responded. "That's not what normal people do."

"We'll were certainly not a normal family John," Sherlock snapped back. "I've had guessed you've figured that out by now. Any normal person would."

Mycroft interrupted them, "Keeping Annaleth here gives Sherlock and I more time to consider any further steps of action, Dr. Watson. Tonight's discussion is merely preliminary. Tomorrow's will be given more energy." He rose from his armchair, his grave mood not wavering. "I suggest we all turn in for the night. You two have been given quarters upstairs. I assumed you would be more comfortable in separate bedrooms, thus I made the preparations. Sherlock, you will sleep in your old room. I've given John the one across the way. Now if you excuse me, Sherlock knows that way, so I bid you good night here."

And with that the men parted ways for the night.

Ø

John couldn't sleep. This whole situation with Anna just seemed wrong to him. He wouldn't lie and say he had any sort of warm feeling toward Moriarty, but… perhaps Sherlock and Mycroft were overreacting just a hair. After all, many people said the Holmes brothers didn't have hearts and yet John knew better. They did care for each other, at least a little, and Sherlock cared for his friends, as much as he denied having any. As bad as Moriarty was, it was a bit extreme to say that he couldn't love. No matter how much it seemed like the opposite, Moriarty _was_ human.

Keeping Annaleth locked up for loving the wrong person was just too much. John understood Sherlock and Mycroft's reasoning, but keeping Anna prisoner wasn't the way to go about it. If anything, it might make the engaged couple more driven to be with each other. Quite honestly, this whole situation was just one giant mess, in John's opinion.

The war veteran sighed and got out of the almost too comfortable bed in the guest room across from Sherlock's childhood bedroom. Someone should check on the woman in question and it didn't seem like John would be visited by Morpheus any time soon.

He crept slowly down the hall, which mercifully was still dimly lit. John supposed it was mostly for his benefit. Sherlock and Mycroft could probably find their way through the manor without needing to see anything.

Anna's bedroom was in the southern wing, third door on the left. Mycroft had left the key in a dish on a table next to her door, probably so that servants or the like could feed her and what not.

John knocked on the door four times before asking "Annaleth?"

There was no response from within the room. John frowned; Anna had been moving around some time ago and he didn't think she would just give up on escape and go to sleep just like that. She was a Holmes after all.

John slipped the key in the lock and turned it quietly. A small click heralded the unlocking and he turned the knob, before sticking his head through the opening of the door.

"Anna?"

The room was empty. Like completely. Anna's shoes were gone and a tiny jewelry box was slightly upended on a vanity near the balcony.

"Crap."


	12. Chapter 12

AN: sorry again guys. College started (joy) and I got a bit busy. Here's chapter twelve for you guys and seriously, Couldbedangerous221 is my motivation for getting through each chapter. Check her out; she is truly amazing. Read and Review! - K

Chapter Twelve

The room slowly brightened as rays of the newly risen sun slipped into it through the window. Two figures were illuminated, entwined on the large bed, encased in silken sheets. The one on the left stirred as "Stayin' Alive" blared from his phone. He dismissed the alarm before rolling back over to face the still slumbering brunette beside him.

Jim smiled softly and reached over to stroke back a few strands of hair that had fallen into her face. Anna's cheek moved with his hand, nuzzling into his palm. Strange as it may seem, Jim loved her. If perfection ever truly existed, Annaleth Holmes was the embodiment of it in his eyes. She was beautiful with her pale skin, dark hair, and expressive eyes; an angel in every sense of the word even though she would refute the description. She had the personality to match the looks: intensely intelligent, faithful to a fault, and willing to break the rules if it meant avoiding the mental numbness that accompanied boredom.

Falling in love had never figured into any of Jim's plans on the rare occasion he actually tried to imagine his future, even as a child. It had simply never appealed to him before, being so attached to a person and devoting your life to them. Yet if he tried to imagine his life without his beloved Anna, he shuddered at the thought of how lonely, boring, and downright _bleak_ it seemed. He couldn't lose her now; she had changed things irrevocably. He had his own "live in one" now and he could finally see why Sherlock kept that little army doctor of his around. It wasn't as funny as he had been thinking; no, this was more... peaceful. He hadn't lied to the consulting detective when he said domesticity wasn't so bad, at least not once you found the right person.

And Jim had definitely found the right person. Anna was _never_ boring, Jim didn't think she even could be. She was always so full of surprises, unlike that spoilsport Mycroft. Or even Sherlock, who was beginning to become predictable. Still his reactions to Anna's little game with John might be amusing. The genius was completely over the moon for John Watson, but was too stubbornly blind to realize it.

Perhaps it was time to get the ball rolling on Jim's own little game with the curly haired detective. After all, making Sherlock look away from the object of his affections might just be the push needed. Besides, Jim wanted to really ruffle the man's feathers, at least before the wedding. He suspected he might end up being too... _preoccupied_ during the honeymoon to even acknowledge Sherlock's existence.

Jim smirked mischievously as he reached for his phone again. Turning on the camera function, the infamous consulting criminal snapped a picture. Then he sent it off with a few intentionally mocking words to a familiar number.

Bad deed for the morning taken care of, he moved closer to Anna, waking her with soft kisses and seductive caresses.

In marrying Anna, he was tying himself to the two thorn in his side brothers of hers. But he knew that it would infuriate them more than it irked him. At least _he_ got to reap the full benefits offered by the petite brunette now writhing beneath him. He threw his phone off the bed into the corner, desiring plenty of room to ravish his fiancee.

Work and everything else could wait for a day.

XXXX

About halfway across London in the flat labeled 221B Baker Street, a certain boffin paused in his playing of a violin as his phone buzzed. Although he couldn't see the number from his vantage point, he knew intuitively who the sender was.

He put away the violin and opened the message. His fists clenched so hard the knuckles turned white as he took in the missive.

It was a photo of Annaleth, her body entangled in white silk sheets. It wouldn't take a genius or a high functioning sociopath to realize that under said sheets, his dear baby sister was nude. Small bruise-like marks were peppered about her shoulders and upper chest area. Darker, more vibrant ones stood out from her throat. Somehow they didn't fully seem like remnants of passion.

There was a message below it.

_'Hope u r handling the boredom well, Sherly. Live in ones are such lovely outlets for... tension, aren't they? -M'_

Sherlock's rage grew, yet his face remained composed. His and Mycroft's original plan was good, but maybe they needed to work with both sides of the playing field.

Sherlock spoke aloud as he typed out a reply.

_'Let the games begin, Moriarty. Winner takes all, including Annaleth.'_


	13. Chapter 13

AN: So this one isn't' terribly late. I might not be as prompt with updates due to college, but I will do my best and my dear friend Couldbedangerous221 is an invaluable help in gathering more inspiration. (Cause really most of my other plot points don't show up until closer to the end lol). Sorry this is kinda weird. Much of this chap was inspired by a text roleplay between Couldbedangerous221 and myself. Basically Sherlock and Anna have a heart to heart. Read, Enjoy and Review if possible! – Kay xoxo

Chapter Thirteen

Sherlock could quite honestly state that he very rarely felt exhausted. It took a lot to tire him and most people usually weren't up to the challenge. But today had been rather trying, in more ways than one.

The morgue had recently received a new stomach donation (for science) and Molly had gladly handed it off to him (again for science, sort of). John had of course reacted quite entertainingly to finding it in the frying pan, though he wasn't reacting like he used to. Pity as Sherlock quite enjoyed John's incredulousness and the way his eyes flashed and body tensed.

Then Anna called. She had wondered if she could drop by and visit Mrs. Hudson, having met the landlady after Sherlock's "death." John had cancelled his date (wise idea, wouldn't have gone anywhere anyway; Sherlock needed John more than those women did) and went to get some take out.

The bruises were still somewhat visible under Anna's scarf. Some were clearly marks of passion, a sight that made Sherlock quite cross. The darker ones, however, concerned the brother more than anything. Sherlock had seen marks like that before but usually the bearers were dead. Moriarty had hurt Annaleth.

She needed to get away from him. Sherlock could not simply stand aside and let the monster put his hands on his baby sister. He needed to prove to Anna that Moriarty was using her, that he didn't love her, that he was incapable of love. But he needed irrefutable evidence to do so; Anna didn't take things at face value, no Holmes did.

Anna left after lunch and Lestrade came by, a new case waiting for Sherlock to poke and prod at it. It was a strange one, two separate deaths involving one rather large red desk. The owners had clearly been poisoned and it was identified after examining the owners' equally dead pets.

Then came the text message.

_Having fun? This one is quite the_

_interesting one, isn't it, Sherly?_

_-JM_

Sherlock had swept into action; Moriarty could not win this game. He went traipsing about all day trying to figure out how Moriarty was involved. Upon questioning the furniture store owner who had done the deed, however, it seemed the Consulting Criminal wasn't involved. The culprit had never heard of Jim Moriarty before, aside from the papers and hearing of his suicide on the roof of St. Bart's.

Another text.

_Come now, Sherlock. I never said I was involved._

_Far too easy for you to solve. Also, Anna would like her phone_

_back. She is at New Scotland Yard. Don't keep her waiting too_

_long. We have plans tonight._

_-JM_

Sherlock had simply passed Anna's cell to Lestrade. He was sure the DI would get it to her in a timely fashion. Unless he had another mysterious meeting with Mycroft again tonight. His nosy brother, always wanting updates on him. Tedious.

John had gone straight to bathe and then to bed when they returned to the flat. Sherlock merely took the stomach out of the frying pan and placed it in one of John's coffee mugs to experiment; he was sure John wouldn't mind too much. Or maybe he would and would react to Sherlock's expectations this time.

As he reached for a paring knife, his phone dinged. Moriarty was beginning to irk him with the constant texting.

It wasn't Moriarty.

_21:10:_ _You stole my phone. – Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

The signature caught his attention instantly. She was already using the last name of Moriarty. Seeing it attached to "Holmes" didn't sit right with the consulting detective. It was wrong; the names should never be connected in that way. Especially not with the name "Annaleth" before both of them.

_21:11: No I confiscated it. Change your signature. –SH_

_21:12: What did you do? And no. I don't want to have_

_to change it again after the wedding. Better things to do._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:13: I merely looked over your text messages. And if you don't_

_want to deal with name changes, don't get married. –SH_

_21:14: Those are private. And you're going to have_

_to try harder than that to stop my marriage, brother_

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:14: So very private indeed that your "lover" is_

_flaunting them around as boasts of victory. –SH_

The consulting criminal had forwarded some rather interesting texts this morning. Sherlock had taken Anna's phone to fully view the conversations. The text messages were quite sickeningly domestic, on both sides. However, Moriarty appeared quite possessive of Anna, which worried Sherlock a bit. He wouldn't let her go easily. Other texts Sherlock had a hard time reading; he didn't want to imagine Moriarty's hands all over Anna in any situation, let alone the sort the texts implied.

_21:15: Sherlock, please. Don't be so childish. _

_-Annaleth Holmes- Moriarty_

_21:15: I'm not being childish… he is. sends me off on_

_a wild goose chase when he isn't even_

_involved. It was quite irritating. –SH_

_21:17: Ah the desk case this evening. Not really Jim's_

_division. and honestly, what did you expect? Of course_

_he would want some revenge for you and Myk_

_kidnapping me. he wasn't exactly happy. _

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:17: Granted I took care of that. He seemed_

_quite sated this morning._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:18: Yes dear sister, you certainly did. But that isn't_

_the point. He's using you, Anna, to get to us. You're_

_nothing but a pawn to him. – SH_

_21:19 How dare you? You don't know anything_

_about my Jim and I and who we are when we_

_are together. You may be a genius but_

_you don't know everything._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:19: And what exactly do you_

_mean 'I certainly did?'_

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:21: Come now, Mycroft was not pleased to_

_see your escape route. Neither was I. And_

_as for 'love' or other issues at hand I do_

_know a situation when one is being used _

_as a means to an end. – SH_

_21:22: Like you and Mycroft are trying to use_

_me? Family means a lot to you two doesn't it?_

_At least Jim is honest with me. And faithful._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

Sherlock snorted. No one was faithful anymore. Except perhaps John. But that was beside the point.

_21:24: The motives of Mycroft and I are only in_

_your best interest. Perhaps the fact that we are trying_

_to preserve our dysfunctional family and protect you_

_speak somewhat of the loyalty you_

_thought we never possessed –SH_

_21:27: Sherlock I'm glad that you and Mycroft are_

_finally trying to be brotherly but I don't need _

_you two meddling about in my personal life. I_

_need you to support me and my decisions. I _

_love Jim. I am going to marry him and I want_

_my brothers to accept him in my life and soon_

_our family. Don't make me choose Sherlock. U_

_won't like the answer. _

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

Sherlock flinched slightly. That hurt, it really did. Sherlock and Anna had always been close, always relied on and trusted each other more than anyone. Had always chosen each other before anyone else, even Mycroft. Especially Mycroft. Sherlock would choose his baby sister over everyone, even John, without hesitation. Though he would certainly miss his blogger. Three years had been a long time without John; a lifetime was almost too difficult to imagine.

_21:31: I thought we had a better relationship than_

_that sister dear…. Obviously I was wrong. By the way,_

_good luck with Mycroft. I'm afraid I wasn't able _

_to keep the contents of your phone from him – SH_

_21:33: Dammit. Oh well, I don't much care what_

_Mycroft thinks either way. Btw John was quite_

_delightful a companion while u were deducing._

_we had a lovely discussion about free will_

_and being able to marry a person of _

_one's own choosing._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:35: You must realize that sentiment motivates_

_most of his decisions which can often end on bad_

_terms. And since you did mention John… Why are you _

_toying with him if you are so in love with_

_"dearest Jim?" –SH_

_21:38: A girl can't have male friends? Besides_

_a bit of jealousy keeps certain aspects of_

_Jim's and my relationship… interesting_

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:39: Such as the pretty pattern of_

_bruises around your lovely neck? – SH_

_21:40: Love marks, dear brother. It has_

_to do with sex. Don't be alarmed._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:42: Sex doesn't alarm me. But I'm _

_observant enough to know what marks_

_are made by intercourse and which are_

_from hands encircling a trachea – SH_

_21:46: Maybe I like it a bit rough. And Jim_

_would never go further than that. Believe me,_

_I've been around my lover during some_

_of his rages. He knows to control himself_

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:48: Yet he hurts you when supposedly_

_he is not in a "rage"… What happens later_

_Anna? Will he stop himself from killing you _

_during your first domestic argument _

_as a married pair? – SH_

_21:50: I trust him. And I love him. And he loves_

_me. Perhaps he is dangerous, but so is the Holmes family. _

_I know Jim in ways you don't. He wouldn't kill me and_

_would never truly harm me in a way we hadn't discussed._

_The marks around my throat are an agreed_

_upon concession. He might hurt me, but I hurt_

_him back. It amplifies the sex anyway._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:53: Sherlock, loving someone means accepting_

_all sides of them. Jim has a dark side, I know that._

_But I love that side of him just as much as_

_the man he is with me. None of us are angels, Sherlock._

_Jim won't kill me, I know this. We've fought before and_

_Jim keeps himself in check. I've seen what he can do to_

_people; he's never come close to doing it to me. people_

_are multifaceted; Jim is no exception. I've seen him in_

_different settings than you. He does have a heart_

_Sherlock. And I have possession of it._

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

_21:56: I'm not a fool Sherlock. I know when I'm being_

_lied to, even by you. _

_-Annaleth Holmes-Moriarty_

'_But you are Anna.'_ Sherlock thought, unable to reply. _'He's fooling you so well you don't even realize it.'_


	14. Chapter 14- Always and Forever

AN: Trying to do these quickly for you guys lol. Just in case it gets really busy around here lol. This chapter is focused more on Jim and Anna. Read and Review! - Kay xoxo

Songs for Chapter (will make 8tracks playlist for story):

When Anna is dancing alone: Bel Air -Lana Del Rey

When Anna and Jim dance: Bloodstream- Stateless (Vampire diaries version)

Chapter Fourteen

Going to be a bit late, darling. Something

came up with business; won't take me too

long to sort it out. Love you.

-J

Anna sighed. Well there went the dinner reservations. She couldn't be angry though; Jim's business was important to him and she had had to cancel dinners before as well. Still after her conversation with Sherlock all she wanted to do was relax with her fiance and make sure she was making the right decision.

She hated this. Hated that despite her impassioned defense of her relationship with Jim, Sherlock could still make her doubt it. It was part of the reason why she had dreaded coming back to London to tell her brothers of her marriage. She figured they wouldn't accept it, but she had been hoping to be a bit more confident in her feelings for Jim and her knowledge of his returned affections.

Jim loved her. She knew he did. Sherlock and Mycroft just couldn't see it; they were blinded by their hatred of him. Not that she felt their hatred was unjustified; Jim had done horrible things to them in the past. But he meant the world to her and he loved her enough to leave her brothers alone after this last game. A sort of pre-wedding family bonding event as it were. At least, in her mind. And perhaps in Jim's too.

She needed to relax. If Jim came home and found out she was freaking out because of something Sherlock said, he would not be very happy. He didn't show it much when they were around others or even when they were alone, but Anna could see that he feared her leaving. He didn't want to lose her. She didn't want to lose him.

Annaleth hurried across the penthouse to a rather plain mahogany door. The room inside was very stark, walls of mirrors and a bar. There was a stereo in the corner. Otherwise the room was bare.

The brunette woman stripped off her shoes and walked over to the stereo. She turned it on, pressed play, and walked to the center of the room.

Each Holmes child had some sort of musical talent. Mycroft played piano, Sherlock was actually quite good at the violin, he just chose to butcher it for pleasure. Anna's talent lay in dance. It soothed her, no matter how stressed she was. In most cases she would stretch first, but her mind was still swimming with doubt and worry and chaos. She needed a release.

The slow and subtle strains of the music hit her ears and she began to move. She started off carefully and gradually let the music pervade her senses, clearing her mind and taking over her body. Her eyes closed and simply let herself feel as air whipped through her hair and the way her feet seemed to glide across the floor, hardly seeming to touch it.

Song after song played and Anna paid hardly any mind to it, feeling her body relax with every passing moment. All of the songs were melodic and sweet, no harsh rhythms or pop beats to throw off her movements. She merely slid from an ending movement of one song to the opening steps of another. She never even noticed Jim enter the room.

Jim's eyes were rapt upon his beloved. She never failed to entrance him when she danced. She was so graceful, so elegant in each shift, no gesture able to be classified as trivial. It always seemed to take his breath away and his belief that this wonderful woman had to be an angel of some sort, no matter her protests to the contrary.

However seeing her dance made him a bit concerned underneath the love and wonder. Anna loved to dance but usually danced with him, unless something had upset her. This slow and sweet yet emotive dancing was one of the few things that could calm her when she was mercy to the sometimes volatile and hurtful thoughts of her highly clever yet still emotional mind. Jim loved that Anna wasn't a robot like her brothers, yet he wished the cost wasn't so high. That his lovely fiance didn't have to suffer under the at times overwhelming weight of those emotions.

The latest song began to close and Jim made his move. Anna startled slightly at the feel of hands sliding along her waist, turning her to face the owner. Jim pulled her body closer and moved one hand to grasp one of hers as the last song on the disc played. Anna smiled and placed her other hand on his shoulder. And they began to dance.

Anna closed her eyes and let her head rest against Jim's dress shirt covered chest; he had removed the coat and tie before entering the studio. Jim let his chin rest atop Anna's head and brought their joined hands to sit gently upon the place his heart lay. Anna relaxed fully as she took in Jim's scent, somewhat musky and yet fresh, comforting her in its heady aroma. Everything about this man, her man, was intoxicating; his scent, his smile, his brown eyes that shone with warmth whenever they were alone. All of the little things he only ever let her see, the almost infinitesimal things that filled up the blank spaces on the canvas that was Jim Moriarty.

This was right. Her brothers simply didn't see the same things in Jim that she did. It didn't matter in the end if they did; she loved the man holding her and she knew that her decision to marry him was the right one. She had never felt more at home than she did in his arms, seeing him smile at her or when she got lost in his kiss. Damn her brothers, damn the whole world if they couldn't understand. She didn't need them too; she just needed her lover and his love for her.

The ending strains of the song faded into the air as Anna leaned upward and placed her lips gently upon Jim's. He closed his eyes and pressed back, losing himself in the kiss just as much as Anna was. This was peace for him, this was his true home. There was nowhere else in the world he felt he belonged, nowhere but here with Anna, her soft lips caressing his with all of the emotion her tiny frame had been gifted with. It was emotion he was more than happy to receive, to help alleviate the strain it placed upon her. He would anything for her, for her happiness. It was the only reason he was letting go of his feud with the brothers; she was worth more than any joy he would get from playing with them. The rest of the world would simply have to suffice. Six billion people, what was a loss of two, no matter how intelligent they are. Games were games no matter the victims, and Anna would keep the boredom away any and every way she could. Damn the high and mighty Holmes brothers; they would never understand. They were nothing to him; Anna was everything.

He whispered between their lips "I love you."

He felt her lips curl into a smile as she replied back just as softly "I love you too. Always and forever."

"Always and forever." He promised in return before capturing her lips once more.


End file.
